About Yale-China

Founded in 1901, the Yale-China Association is a private, nonprofit organization with more than a century of experience contributing to the development of education in and about China and to the furtherance of understanding and knowledge between Chinese and American people. Yale-China's work is characterized by sustained, long-term relationships designed to build Chinese institutional capacity. Current programs include the fields of public health and nursing, legal education, English language instruction, American Studies, and cultural exchange for Chinese and American students. Publications include a regular newsletter, biennial report, and the annual Yale-China Health Journal.

What We Believe

At Yale-China we believe that individuals-and individual organizations-can be a force for making the world more peaceful and humane. Our work is based on the conviction that sustained, one-on-one contacts between Chinese and American people not only enrich the lives of the individuals involved but contribute, ultimately, to improved relations between our two nations.

How We Work

Yale-China's work is based on a set of simple touchstones:

• Discern new needs - Rapid changes in China and the U.S. have created new areas of need and presented new opportunities for meaningful work. Yale-China has a record of discerning emerging issues and developing focused responses before these issues move into the mainstream. We are committed to keeping pace with this ever-evolving landscape.
  


• Commit time and thought - Solutions to complex problems do not emerge overnight, and more than good will is needed to bridge broad cultural divides. Yale-China develops carefully crafted programs after seeking knowledge and insight from many sources. Our experienced Chinese-speaking staff then manages these programs expertly and sensitively on the ground.
  


• Seek out strong partners - A strength of Yale-China's work is our success in developing fruitful collaborations with Chinese and American institutions and individuals and building upon them over time. Some of these partnerships have endured for many decades; others are very new. Helping to enhance the capacity of our Chinese partners has been a hallmark of Yale-China's work since our founding.
  


• Invest in people - Thousands of people benefit from Yale-China's programs each year. We measure the full success of our work not in these numbers, but in its deep, long-term impact on individual lives. Generations of students, teachers, doctors, and nurses have testified to the life-transforming value of these encounters - the doors opened, insights gained, minds enriched, values affirmed.
  

Where We Work

Yale-China works all over China, and has organized programs in cities including Beijing, Changchun, Changsha, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Guiyang, Kunming, Ningbo, Tunxi, Urumqi, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xi'an, and Hong Kong. Much of our work is concentrated in areas away from China's more prosperous coastal cities.

Relationship with Yale University

While closely affiliated with the Yale community, the Yale-China Association is separately incorporated and administered and receives no financial support from Yale University apart from limited funds for projects involving Yale students and scholars and in-kind contributions.

Resources